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The Evolution of Parent-Infant Attachment:
New Psychobiological Perspectives

Hanuš Papoušek, M.D., Sc.D.

Mechthild Papoušek, M.D.

A recurring theme in infant psychiatry has
been the elucidation of the role of mother‐
infant attachment in human development. Although extensively researched, our knowledge
of the role of mother-infant attachment shows
broad gaps and has generated increasing theoretical controversy, as is evident in contemporary discussions of this concept.

In an attempt to narrow these gaps with the
help of a cross-disciplinary approach, we want
to review some psychobiological aspects of
mother-infant attachment. When looking at
psychological phenomena a psychobiologist
also tries to consider their evolutionary past,
adaptive meaning, and biological roots, as
these may be seen in paleontological or comparative analogies of the observed phenomena.

The psychobiological view is not new in
the research on mother-infant attachment.
Bowlby (1969) attempted to elucidate the evolution of mother-infant attachment in his
pioneering book. However, the increase in
available evidence since the late 1960s has
brought about new conceptual impulses. What

used to be a realm of speculative interpretations has become accessible to exact documentation. Hypotheses can now be experimentally
verified. Superficial views and vaguely defined
terms have gradually been replaced with detailed microanalytic approaches and a differentiated terminology. Thus, no matter how far
we may be from the full truth, there are good
reasons for a critical look at some fundamental
aspects of mother-infant attachment.

The Specificity of Human Evolution

One way of approaching the fundamental
phenomena of human evolution is to raise the
question of similarities and dissimilarities between man and other animals—that is, the
question of specificity—and to study the ways
in which evolution might have favored the
emergence of features specific to humans. Consensus omnium on the species-specific importance of thought, language, and culture in
human evolution has not essentially changed
in the last few decades. The human capacity to
symbolize the real world in words enormously
improved man's chance to profit from a cultural heritage, to communicate across distances
and cultural, if not planetary, borders, to integrate the past experience of many generations,

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The following foundations have kindly supported our
research: Die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and Die
Stiftung Volkswagenwerk. We owe special thanks to April
Benasich of New York University for her valuable comments and editorial help.

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